The singer / icon known as Madonna in the 1980's was Nikki Finn. The outrageous and very funny little girl with a sketchy past could only be played Madonna. Who's that Girl is a romantic comedy about two completely different who end up falling in love under the most unusual circumstances. Although its not a great comedy, the story is genuine and the acting holds up. Surprisingly, Madonna does not use her sexuality as much as she has in the past and in future films. Her funniness and charm wins over the audience. Although she is very sexy, she does not use her eye candy to draw the audience. A coming of age drama in the sense that Madonna is growing up and trying to break away from her past. In the end, the movie showcases Madonna as an actress and not the singer. Not since Desperately Seeking Susan two years before, that a film took a chance to promote Madonna off the stage (music) and onto the big screen as a comedic actress.
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caspian197820 June 2004
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ajpublic26 November 2004As most positive reviews have already stated If your not a Madonna fan, you probably won't like this movie. However, as a Madonna fan, I saw this movie when it played on cable the first time, around 1988, I enjoyed this movie then and I still enjoy it now.
It's not deep or even based in reality but it is just very fun to watch. Madonna gives a great performance as Nikki Finn; she's funny, sexy and assertive. It's clear she carries the film; I've read other user's comparisons to Judy Holiday and Marilyn Monroe, and to me, that's not bad company to be associated with.
Her character is simply mesmerizing on screen, in late 80's fashion of course...I don't know about the rest of you, but I just enjoy seeing the Madonna we grew to love, before her exploitive stage, before she 'gave the farm away' so to speak, she was sexier then.
How about the soundtrack? Great especially the theme song And Griffin Dunne is hilarious by the way. B+ -
Energetic farce with fast pacing, fun 1980s music, some great vehicular stunts, and one of Madonna's better performances; she makes her kooky, flaky character real. And even though it requires little to no thinking, it still manages to satirize New York's Upper West Side high society more successfully than a more pretentious movie would. Ignore the critics and give this one a chance; it's fun. **1/2 out of 4.
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actiontalent29 January 2002Admittedly I was only 13 years old when I first saw this movie (in the theater), but it has always been one of my favorites.
The story line was held together with some of the best lines. (I still quote them today). Madonna gets slammed for so many reasons, this movie should not be one of them. She and Griffin Dunne made a fun, quirky couple. It did not pretend to be anything than what it was, and who can find fault with that?
This movie was part farce, part mystery (okay, not up to Agatha Christie standards) and part romantic comedy. It was no worse than most films that fall into the romantic comedy genre, if anything it is one of the better ones.
For those of you out there who hate Madonna, by all means avoid this film, why torture yourself? But for anyone who likes her, or just wants to see a light, fluffy story with some great music (let's hear it for Scritti Politti)then "Who's That Girl" is a fun, nostalgic trip that will have you laughing in no time.
Laugh at Buck, the delivery driver, or Griffin Dunne in that top hat and tails, and who could forget the bridesmaids, having been kidnapped and tied together, hitting on the cops? I'm laughing just thinking about it. -
SnoopyStyle2 December 2017Petty criminal Nikki Finn (Madonna) is paroled after 4 years in prison. She intends to find who had framed her. Loudon Trott (Griffin Dunne) needs to deliver an exotic animal for real estate mogul Montgomery Bell. He also has to prepare for his wedding to boss's daughter Wendy Worthington. His boss is the one responsible for Nikki's frame up and directs him to drive her to the bus station on her way home out of town. Nikki has no intention of getting on the bus. The cops haven't abandoned the case either.
Madonna is trying very hard to be wacky. She's not accomplished enough as a comedian to pull it off especially as a lead. I can see this shtick working as a supporting character. It's too awkward and she overwhelms the screen. It doesn't really make sense that Worthington would direct Loudon to drive Nikki. He should be hiring someone to follow her and call her parole officer when she fails to get on the bus. Logic is not that important anyways. It's all an excuse for flustered Griffin Dunne to be paired with wacky Madonna. It's a wacky and not funny screwball adventure. -
gwnightscream24 July 2012Madonna, Griffin Dunne, Haviland Morris, John McMartin and John Mills star in this 1987 comedy. This begins in a New York prison where we meet convict, Nikki Finn (Madonna) who is being released after serving 4 years for murder. Soon, an up-town lawyer, Louden Trott (Dunne) is sent by his boss & soon to be father-in-law, Simon Worthington (McMartin) to pick her up and take her to the bus station where she will go home to Philadelphia. He soon finds himself falling for Nikki while trying to help her prove her innocence and learns that Simon is behind her set up. Mills plays wealthy animal collector, Montgomery Bell whom Louden delivers a cat, Murray to. I've always liked this film, Madonna and Griffin have good chemistry and I like the soundtrack. I recommend this good 80's comedy.
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An ear-splitting movie, a quasi-old-fashioned screwball romp designed to showcase singing star Madonna's comedic attributes. She does indeed go far out on the proverbial limb here playing a beyond-vivacious parolee attempting to prove she was framed for murder (a body was found in the trunk of her car after she ran a red light...big laughs). After an energetic animated credits sequence--which is much more fun than the rest of the picture--we have nothing to look at but Madonna's black mascara and red lips set off by her platinum hair and pale complexion. What else is there? Griffin Dunne seems defeated playing Maddy's keeper, while the poor-choice supporting cast struggles to get laughs with lousy dialogue. It's an unfortunate set-back to the talents of director James Foley, who unwisely allows his star to run rampant in the spirit of the nutty slapstick films from the 1930s (but even Katharine Hepburn in "Bringing Up Baby" had a human side). Wretched. * from ****
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utgard146 June 2022A reworking of a screwball comedy classic, Bringing Up Baby, with Madonna of all people shouldn't work. This one somehow does, thanks mostly to the two leads. Yes, Madonna is a limited actress and not every scene is perfect, but she does an admirable job bringing a fun and likable character to life. Most importantly it doesn't just feel like she's playing herself. The criminally underrated Griffin Dunne deserves a lot of praise, as well. He was my favorite part of the movie. I think he elevates the material and gets the best out of Madonna in their scenes together. I wish he had done more crazy comedies like this because he's very good at it.
It's not a flawless film and I certainly understand the complaints. The fair ones, at least, not the petty ones. But it's a very fun comedy with a quick pace and likable actors. What's Up Doc is still probably the best modern screwball comedy I've seen but this one is nothing to dismiss. Try to leave preconceptions about Madonna or the film's reputation at the door and give it a fair shot. I think you'll be happily surprised. -
Let's face it - Madonna was - Too much peroxide, too much eyebrow, too much red lip-gloss, trying way-way too hard to be little Miss Funny-Girl, and failing miserably.
By this point in this little pop-star's career her own personal equation was pretty much standardized as - Madonna + Movie = Garbage.
Hearkening back to the 1940s, Who's That Girl? was a real idiot's attempt at "Screwball" Comedy. This film ultimately fell flat on its face trying to capture the essentially important spirit of humor from that particular era.
Is it really any surprise at all that the dismal failure of this flick could pretty much rest solely upon the creamy-white shoulders of Madonna?
As I understand it - The behind-the-scenes scenario went like this - Madonna being the big "you-know-what" that she is, continually over-ruled James Foley's decisions and direction, refusing to work at all if she couldn't have things her way.
Yes. Madonna really had that much clout. And, yes, she was the one who ultimately ruined this picture.
Anyways - At this point I think that it's really quite pointless to go into any great detail here, outlining this flick's dumb story, except to say that Madonna, who babbles away throughout the story (using a totally affected voice and behaves like a snot-nosed teen) plays an ex-con. (Ho-hum!)
You know, I cannot, for the life of me, see how even Madonna fans could say that they liked this fiasco. It completely lacked any humor, or charm, whatsoever.
P.S. - Man, when it came to those frickin' eyebrows of Madonna's, like, that material girl seriously needed to either trim them damn things down some, or else register them as some kind of lethal weapon. -
I do not understand at all, why this comedy got so much criticism. I love this little comedy, it is so full of fun and I also love Madonnas character. So whole-hearthedly I give it 7. I think everything in this movie comes together very well: the funny idea, directing and acting. Madonna is brilliant as revenge-seeking Nikki Finn, a girl who is a funny mixture of childishness, craziness, other-worldliness and sex-appeal. The funniest bit is when she climbs over the fence in a leather jacket and a tutu, to save her one true love. Madonna is not afraid to be totally silly in this role and really becomes the character she is playing.
I saw it first time on a day when I was very very sad and down, on the edge of breakdown, and this little comedy made my day. When finished watching, instead of tears of sadness I had tears from laughter on my face. I whole heartedly recommend this. And yes, Madonna can act - not just in this movie, in other ones too! -
hans_schlaikier22 April 2006This is the epitome of bad 80's film-making, unless you are a pre-pubescent girl. Riding on a big name like madonna, a story line that physically assaults one's intelligence and humour that is most suited for a nursery school. If there was ever any doubt i think this turd of a movie clearly displays Madonna's absolute lack of acting talent and made me feel highly embarrassed on her behalf. The only thing i can't believe is that they ever let the director near another movie again. Madonna spends most of the movie prancing around like an infantile rag doll, and talking like a baby. It is painfully obvious that the only reason this movie was ever made was due to the fact that Madonna was a big name in pop music at the time. DO NOT BE DUPED INTO SEEING THIS AWFUL ATTEMPT TO CASH IN ON POP STARDOM. Stay away at all costs!
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Eki755 May 2019It's mindless, 80's fun. One of my favorites. Madonna's obnoxious Nikki Finn is over the top and funny, but she gives her a certain depth that critics don't give her credit for. She's not Meryl doing Shakespeare, but no one should expect her to be. Griffin Dunne was perfectly neurotic (and quite handsome). The absurdity of Wendy Williams is one of my favorite parts-how all these random people have "had her," how she's more concerned with how the coop interview is going than the fact she's being held at knife point, etc. It's absurdist comedy gold.
The Nikki / Louden love scene at the arboretum with Madonna dressed as Marilyn is the only part of the story that didn't work for me. Otherwise, the writing is pretty solid for screwball comedy.
Madonna's music in the film is iconic, and I argue it was her best musical period.
All in all, it's totally enjoyable, quite funny, and very watchable. -
Boyo-210 June 2002I saw this movie the day it opened in NYC, at the Ziegfield. At the time Madonna was not quite the cultural icon she is now. She had a couple of hits, was very good in "Desparately Seeking Susan" and I had tickets to see her in concert at Giants Stadium.
"Who's That Girl?" gives Madonna an actual role to play, which is not just a variation of her own personality. She does the madcap/heroine routine better than you might think. Griffin Dunne is very well cast as the man around to witness all the shenanigans.
The story involves a huge cat named Murray, a bride-to-be who has slept with every cabbie in NYC, a mean father-in-law, and a key. There are a lot of car chases and cops trailing their path. All the elements of a screwball comedy intact.
Sir John Mills is seen briefly. He shares a glass of champagne with the leads and has the greatest apartment on the Upper West Side, complete with a rain forest and everything.
Compared to most Madonna movies (the ones I've been able to tolerate anyway), this is fantastic. On its own, its not that bad. 6/10.
PS The concert was lousy. -
frankfob24 January 2003for people who have absolutely no idea of what a comedy is. That not only includes the people who liked this movie, but the people who made it. What could they possibly have been thinking? Madonna playing Judy Holliday? Please, she can't even play MADONNA (if there actually IS a Madonna). I hope Griffin Dunne was paid well. He deserved every penny he got, because if this didn't kill his career, nothing will. I'm sure that the few people who actually paid to see this movie left it feeling like their pockets had been picked. Madonna is apparently past the point of feeling embarrassed by her virtually complete lack of talent as an actress, but you can't help feeling embarrassed for her anyway. She has no connection with the rest of the cast; it appears like she showed up on the set and said, "OK, I'm here, I'm gonna embarrass myself by doing the absolute worst Judy Holliday impression anyone's ever seen, now stay the hell out of my way" and then proceeded to do exactly that. I know the phrase "rotten Madonna movie" is redundant, but it certainly fits this. It's painful to watch a totally inept and talentless "actress" make a complete fool of herself, but it apparently doesn't bother her, as she does it again and again.
The only remotely funny thing about this "comedy" is that she actually managed to find people who gave her the money to make it. Now THAT'S funny. -
BHorrorWriter1 October 2001...But I like this movie....
Critics hate it...Fans hate it....I think even the cast of this movie probably hate themselves for being in it...But i can't help it...I find it to be silly, good humor that always makes me laugh...Madonna is showing us a different side of her, true this was 14 years ago..but still..she was very amusing to watch...
7 out of 10 -
dave13-16 January 2012Madonna's well-known fascination with Hollywood's golden era glamor (what about this woman is NOT well-known?) led her to seek out a vehicle that hearkened back to the old screwball comedies of the 30s. But while those movies featured charmingly ditzy upper crust types like Jean Arthur and Carole Lombard, this one is built around Madonna's repellent and vulgar 'comic' portrayal of a bottom-feeding street moll with an annoying accent (or more than one) and tacky wardrobe sense. Pia Zadora has more charm, talent and screen charisma than is displayed here by the Materialistic one. Griffin Dunne should get a medal for his attempts to hold the picture together on HIS charm and manages to anchor his scenes adequately even with his co-star running amok in her wild attempts to play a colorful role. A leopard also co-stars for no good reason other than it brings to mind Bringing Up Baby, something this movie otherwise fails utterly to do on its own. The weak script wanders aimlessly in search of situations where Madonna can attempt to be 'zany', but contains little memorable dialog and gives the principles little to do other than bicker with one another in unfunny fashion. Watching this movie reminded me of being stuck in a car with low class neighbors who fight in public. This is not even a so-bad-it's-funny movie, since if it were actually funny, even unintentionally it would have succeeded somewhat as a comedy. It doesn't. It's just irritating.
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BrianG17 October 2000By now the equation is pretty much standardized: Madonna+movie=garbage. Except for "Desperately Seeking Susan"--which wasn't really a Madonna movie, just a movie she was in--Madonna has yet to make an even remotely watchable movie. Even the movies where she doesn't have a very big part ("Dick Tracy," for example) suck. Maybe she's contagious. For some reason, Madonna felt the need to prove that she can do a screwball comedy a la Judy Holliday. She can't. She also tried to prove, once again, that she can act. Once again, she can't. There is not one thing in this movie that is even REMOTELY funny. Madonna somehow felt the need for her "character" to use a squeaky voice; she wound up sounding like Fran Drescher with a head cold. Poor Griffin Dunne must have really needed to pay the rent to find himself in this dreck. Haviland Morris, who was very good in "16 Candles," plays basically the same character here, but because of the lousy writing and almost non-existent direction (James Foley is a good director, but apparently he was overruled by Madonna on just about every directorial decision he tried to make, and it shows), she doesn't come across as well as she did in "16 Candles." The "plot" is something about Madonna being framed for her boyfriend's murder, getting out of prison and becoming involved with Griffin Dunne, who works for the millionaire who framed her. This film is almost a complete waste of time--wait a minute, it IS a complete waste of time. If you find the need to waste an hour and a half of your life, do something more productive, like pounding a hammer against your head. It's not as painful as watching this thing.
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The 1980's was a incredible decade for movies even for bad movies like this. I look back to it and think that even the trashiest movies of that decade were not as bad as many movies that appeared in the 1990's and in 2000's. This is a classic example of a bad movie that you might enjoy it and might think: well it's not that bad and it's quite enjoyable. "Who's that Girl" is a silly mix between "Something Wild" (released in 1986), "Bringing Up Baby" (1938), and perhaps more movies where a crazy girl disturbs the peace of a quiet man creating nothing but trouble and in the end they realize that they love each other.
In James Foley's film Madonna plays a ex-convict recently released out of jail who wants to clean her name and put behind bars the responsible for her detaining. Griffin Dunne plays a correct lawyer who's taking care of the preparatives of his wedding when his father-in-law (John McMartin) gives to him a mission that involves the ex-convict: simply make sure that the girl get into the bus to Philadelphia. Simple as that if wasn't the fact that she's a devil in person always with an innocent smile on the face, letting the poor guy crazy. Add to this a destructed and valuable car with a rare tiger named Murray in it (such a great animal actor) who is about to be delivered to a rich man (played by John Mills).
The whole confusion of the beginning of the movie is irritating, obvious and very silly. It also includes the irritating little voice that Madonna needs to make to appear as a funny actress. She's very beautiful here but that didn't impeach her to have a terrible performance and win at the Razzie Awards. Plus the screenplay offers a variety of dumb characters (For instance two cops who are watching the girl's confusion but they don't make anything except get in the car or get out to car to lunch) and supposed to be funny situations that leads to nowhere if you think about what happens at the ending.
I'm truly disappointed with this movie because director James Foley at the time just came out of a great movie called "At Close Range" a very powerful thriller with Sean Penn and Christopher Walken, and I think he needed a similar project instead of a cheap comedy like this. Gladly he recovered his talent in 1992 with his best film of all time "Glengarry Glen Ross".
This is not a completely bomb. It has a fine performance of Griffin Dunne ("After Hours"). And if most of the moments are not funny at all there are some of the dumbest lines ever. Quoting my favorite there's a scene between Griffin's bride (Havilland Morris) and Buck the muscular delivery boy (James Dietz, he's got some scary look in his eyes) during the failed wedding. She says: "You'll take care of me, won't you Buck?" And he replies: "Of course I will. I'm very muscular." This dialog appears almost at the end of the movie and that was my only laughing in the whole thing. Still it worths 5 stars because once again the movies of the 1980's gives you a twinkle in the eye and I've seen worst movies than this. 5/10 -
The current IMDB rating for this film is 4.7. I'm not sure what those people were expecting when they watched this film, but it is much better at what it tries to do than a film cursed with a 4.7 rating. This is a slap-stick romantic comedy, patterned after hundreds of similar films from the 1950's through the 1970's. And, compared to other similar films of the genres, it's very good.
Perhaps those other reviewers wanted an 80's Madonna music video or a G-rated vehicle to push her music - this is not a marketing device for Madonna's music. You don't hear a Madonna song until the closing credits.
Lost in a 4.7 rating (and a near 40 year career in entertainment) is that Madonna is great in this film. She is unique, sexy without trying too hard, and very funny.
So, compare this to other slap-stick rom-coms featuring Kate Hudson or Katherine Heigl or Lucile Ball or any of the 100 other actresses that have made this type of film. When fairly compared against similar films from any era, 'Who's That Girl' (1987) stands on it's own as funny, light-hearted comedy.
RealReview Posting Scoring Criteria: Acting - 1/1; Casting - 1/1; Directing - 1/1; Story - 1/1; Writing/Screenplay - 1/1;
Total Base Score = 5
Modifiers (+ or -): Standout Performances: +1 ( Madonna );
Quotability: +1;
Total RealReview Rating: 7 -
GreekSexSymbol23 July 2007This has to be one of the, if not the worst movies I have ever seen. After watching this piece of sh*t I felt as though I should write to Madonna and demand compensation for my time, but now I feel that I should write Madonna and demand a great 80s album (considering she can't record a good album to save her life anymore) in return for this disaster.
On to the movie itself, which can be summed up like this:
It consists Madonna jumping around acting like a spoiled teenager who lost her way. She is trying to impress this absolute douche of an actor who plays "the lawyer' in the movie. But, the best was the ending. I was staring with my jaw on the ground into the television as the credits rolled by thinking to my self, "That's it? That's the ending? What a piece of sh*t!". If Madonna wasn't a pop icon at the time of this film, this movie would have single handedly destroyed her career. And the funniest thing of the whole situation was that I just watched the damn movie to see where they placed the song "Who's That Girl". Well, guess where they placed it?...................................at the end! -
flicklover1 December 2018I had seen this film when it came out in 1987. I had liked it because it was light and funny. I hadn't seen it in a long time but my daughter wanted to see so I popped the DVD in and nothing has changed. I am fully aware that this film bombed and was ravaged by critics, but I can't deny that I like it! It is the only film that Madonna has acted in that I like.
It is a screwball comedy that's for sure. Madonna plays Nikki Finn, a convict that is getting out of prison on parole after 4 years that she was found guilty if killing her boyfriend. A wealthy man that has an interest in making sure she get on a bus to her hometown of Philadelphia after she gets out of prison. He asks his soon to be son in law to drive her to the bus station to make sure she gets on the bus. The son in law named Louden is a lawyer at his form and is played by Griffin Dunne. He also needs to.pick up a cougar that belongs to one of his clients. Once he gets to the prison to pick Nikki up she drives him crazy. She makes him let her drive his mother in law's Roles Royce and then ditches him in the hospital after he has an anxiety attack from her crazy driving. He later gets out and catches up to her in a bad neighborhood buying a gun. All he wants is to take her to the bus but she pleads with him help her clear her name by telling him she did not kill her boyfriend. She has key to a safe deposit box but needs to find a pump named Raul to get the bank name and box number. All of this is played as ridiculous screwball comedy. Though I have never thought that Madonna was a good actress she goes all out to play Nikki and it fits her persona. She does use a sort of annoying voice playing her but after a while it's actually endearing. The chemistry between Madonna and Dunne is also good. He of course plays the straight arrow nerdy guy that at first can't stand Nikki. They go around New York City to find the evidence to clear Nikki and she creates mess after mess for him. It's really funny how the two play off of each other. Well of course they end up falling in love.
It may not be a very good but I have seen much worse romantic comedies than this one. Also the soundtrack has some very good songs from Madonna, especially the title track. So it may be in the guilty pleasure category but I really enjoy this film.
Grade: B- -
bsinc25 June 2003I was actually planning to see this movie when I noticed it in my TV guide but after about 5 minutes decided time is definitely more precious than "Who's That Girl" could ever be worth. Describing how bad Madonna's acting looks like is impossible and the end result is one of the most annoying characters ever captured on film. This crap is an insult to movies and intellect. I almost never! rate a movie I don't see from start to finish, but in this case the former is impossible. 2/10
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I'd consider myself a Madonna fan and have fond memories of watching this movie whenever it used to come on Comedy Central. The storyline is a bit silly but it's endearing. It's a fun movie. Nikki and Griffin Dunne's character made a good team with their opposite personalities. I liked the subtle jabs made at rich people as well.
Sam Goody and the old New York City were nice to see as well.
Some good Madonna songs featured as well in it, Who's That Girl, The Look of Love, Don't Stop, and Causing a Commotion. -
Tweekums24 June 2017Things should be going well for lawyer Loudon Trott as he is due to get married to the daughter of one of New York's wealthiest men the next day; he just has to do a couple of things first pick up a cat and then drive a woman to the bus station. Neither go according to plan; the cat is some sort of endangered cougar and the woman, Nikki Finn, has just been released from prison and wants to do a few things before catching her bus such as getting a gun in Harlem and acquiring the evidence to prove that she didn't murder her boyfriend. This means getting a safety deposit box number from the actual murderer before she can learn who he was working for.
This is a fairly lightweight film but that doesn't stop it being rather fun. There are plenty of laughs and some decent comedy action. Madonna is a lot of fun as the slightly punky Nikki; as Laudon states in the film she is a real force of nature. Griffin Dunne is also good as the uptight Laudon; his character is far less 'in your face' but still provides some good laughs. While it is these two who carry the film the rest of the cast are pretty good too. The ending is entirely predictable but that isn't really a problem as all about how we get to that ending. Overall I wouldn't say this is a must see film but if you want a decent, inoffensive '80s comedy you could do a lot worse. -
katiethelalady15 May 2006The first time I watched this movie I was ten years old. I thought it was bad then, and at that age I had no cinematic taste whatsoever. I watched this movie on Cinemax about 3 days ago and was reminded why I hated the movie in the first place. Madonna's character, Nikki, is annoying and obnoxious. There's no way that the main character would ever fall in love with her. The jokes were corny and the dialogue was worse than a t.v. soap opera!! I'm glad that I didn't see this movie at the theatre, or rent it. I feel bad for my parents who had to endure watching it with me! Madonna is not necessarily a bad actress, but in this role she is portrayed as a complete idiot.